WFTV/Orlando has learned through sources familiar with the project that a significant part of the kid zone will be closed. E.T. will stay, but Woody Woodpecker and Barney will be torn down. In its place, Channel 9 has confirmed a Mario Kart ride will be coming to Orlando. It will be a moving track ride where guests wear augmented reality glasses to feel like they're moving through a video game.

Tekwardo

Friday, June 16, 2017 1:49 PM

Gonch, yes and no. There was more discussion in the thread about Uni buying property, I believe. Someone said they thought Nintendo would be a new third or fourth gate and someone else said it as going to be in the kids spot.

maXairMike

Heh, I guess that was me. Also, the artwork that was floating around is evidently from an earlier version of the land (maybe the pitch to Nintendo, can't remember for sure at the moment), but there's some things that are still consistent. It is also interesting to note that (nearly?) every recent patent Universal has applied for/received lately related to ride/attraction systems have been or will be put to use in attractions we know are coming, most in Nintendo (the one exception is the Iron Man suit concept, but that's for another thread). The Zelda area, which isn't part of the current plans from what has been said, used the theater concept for the Hyrule Castle attraction. Mario Kart is of course all the car and VR style patents, and then I forget if there are any others off the top of my head.

Some of this has been "common knowledge" in other parts of the 'net for a while, just have to venture out a bit and be willing to filter out the craziness that comes with fandoms.

TheMillenniumRider

LostKause

Monday, June 19, 2017 1:19 AM

Because a hundred years ago, I dreamed of a Nintendo themed park, and voiced my enthusiasm for it here on CoasterBuzz. And it's possible, in my own little fantasy world, that doing so set in motion the licensing and creation of this themed area. It like the butterfly effect.

:D

Of course, there were probably about twelve-thousand people who created a Nintendo themed park in RCT. And the more obsessed fans of Nintendo probably thought of it and talked about it online way before RCT even came out.

RCMAC

CreditWh0re

Wednesday, June 21, 2017 2:25 PM

Another site (no, not the one that shall not be named) has what purports to be newish concept art confirming a lot of what has already been hinted at. Of most interest to this crowd are two images of the Donkey Kong section showing off the "boom coaster", which comports exactly with the patent design that everyone has referenced. Therein might be the giveaway that it's not real, in that I'm not sure that internal concept art would show the cantilever design of the boom coaster (thus giving away the trick).

The other site doesn't make the comparison to the patent artwork, but it's obvious that one flows from the other. Whether it's real or just an elaborate fan attempt at articulating what a "real world" installation might look like, is yet to be seen. The Mario Kart artwork also shows the round room with the booms that were shown in one of the patents. It's a minor, far corner part of the drawing, and if someone were dreaming this up, it's almost the most insignificant section of the drawing, not exactly what you would expect if someone was trying pass their work off as the real thing. One would expect the part that matches with the patent piece to be more front and center to cement the connection.

The other interesting piece is artwork showing a theater style attraction for Zelda (which matches up with most prior rumours) that appears to absolutely be a match to the moving theater patent design (though again not referenced in the article). Now whether the theater attraction is still on for Orlando seems in doubt, so I find it hard to believe that a fanboy would go to the trouble to mock up something that isn't a go, but stranger things have happened.

The part that, to me, makes the article seem legit, is that the various artwork is a combination of dramatic concept art (e,g. normal Goddard/Thinkwell style artwork), and "pre-visualization" style "no limits" type - 3D CAD work. Seems to be two very different styles and competencies, which would be difficult to create if this were simple fanboy basement sketches.

Again, it could be just someone dreaming up stuff based on the patents and purporting it to be the real deal, but definitely worth a look.

CreditWh0re

Wednesday, June 21, 2017 3:31 PM

and for kicks and grins it appears that there are at least 4 other attractions (rides) in the "leaked" overhead map for USO's version. This has been out there for a while, but wasn't mentioned in the article or in this thread. Besides the "Monkey Mines Madness" boom coaster, there are listed: 'Koopa Troopa spinning shells', "Bullet Bills Flying Ride" and "Bowzers Koopaling Airships ride", and a "Kirby" round ride of some sort. Mario Kart land is depicted as three levels with attractions (not necessarily rides) on all three levels, and some of the new artwork shows the "airship" ride as flying over parts of the Mario Kart practical sets.. There appear to be two interactive play areas (magic wand part deux?)

What I haven't seen mentioned is that the Bullet Bill's ride looks to be a side by side track ride that flies over the entry portal area.